What are you charging for a motorcyle detail?

B

BobD

New member
What do you charge for something like a sportbike with no chrome and what do you charge for something like a cruiser with a lot of chrome?
 
I've never varied in my pricing for motorcycles... Of course take my pricing with a grain of salt but I get $100 for any motorcyle regardless of what it is.
 
SShine said:
$100 sounds right. maybe $25 more or so for a cruiser.



But, I haven't done any lol
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I was charging $75 for a standard and about $125 for a chromed out bike. It also depends on if the chrome needs a lot of polishing or just a cleaning.
 
I've actually only done 2 up here at the shop and both were chromed out. I haven't done a simple crotch rocket or anything. I guess those would probably be easier to do. But it's not alot of business to really focus on specific types of bikes and rates per style for me.
 
Motorcycles are a pain, all the nooks and crannies. It depends on how much polishing is necessary, but 150-200 for a bike is not unheard of - it takes me forever to buff one and there's a high risk of paint burns, due to the nooks and crannies. Pain in the rear to tape off all the leather and plastic too.



If you've got a sportbike on your hands, it's sometimes easier to take a few screws out and take panels off to buff them.
 
I start at $100 all the way up to $200+ depending on how much chrome it has and what they want done to it plus all of the real tight spaces I have to get to to clean during a motorcycle detail.:cooleek:
 
I usually get $200 to 300 plus. Cruisers with chrome I get at least $300. It depends if I have to break it down apart or they will have it all apart and they will put it together.



Paint correction on bikes can be a pain. Find some 2-3 inch pads as you will need them. Also an angle drill converted to a polisher helps in tight areas. Body shop supply stores carry the small pads and backing plates in kits.



VERY time consuming. Bikes are mostly scratched and marred heavily.



Try some Bikebright. It's a spray cleaner used to wash the whole bike. Spray on and wash with it, then hose off. Megs Safe Degreaser works great too.
 
for cleaning a bike, do you just wet everything just like a car exterior? or do you have to be careful of certain areas? I figure you can just wet it all down, but what about the instrument panel with all the switches, and on the grips? I would think its fine to wet just like driving in the rain, but want to make sure>>>
 
SShine said:
$100 sounds right. maybe $25 more or so for a cruiser.



But, I haven't done any lol
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I charge more for sport bikes. I find cruiser owners tend to clean their bikes more and other than the chrome it is not as much work as trying to get months of grime off a sport bike that has been rode hard and put up wet. Shaft and belt drive cruisers throw less crap around also. It is all a time thing for me.
 
toyotaguy said:
for cleaning a bike, do you just wet everything just like a car exterior? or do you have to be careful of certain areas? I figure you can just wet it all down, but what about the instrument panel with all the switches, and on the grips? I would think its fine to wet just like driving in the rain, but want to make sure>>>
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I keep the bike wet the entire time I am washing and using polishing soap on the chrome. I only let it dry when I am using my blower. I then blow out all the nooks and crannies with high pressure air.



I am pretty familiar with a lot of bikes and the first thing I do is remove seats and fairings and so forth. ALWAYS remove the license plate. There is dirt back there just WAITING to turn to a mud streak as soon as the owner drives off.



Bikes are a different animal than cars. Hard to use power tools on, and you need a lot of weird brushes.



CBM
 
Are there any good detailers you guys know of in the Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Roseville area of California ? I've got an 08 Harley Street Glide that needs a good polishing/waxing/detailing. It has the typical fine clearcoat scratches. I'm willing to pay decent money to do the job as long as they know what they are doing and I can watch their technique.

If so have em call me on my cell at 916-207-0960.
2008FLHX.jpg
 
Danase said:
What do you charge for something like a sportbike with no chrome and what do you charge for something like a cruiser with a lot of chrome?
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Ive done a few and charge only $100 each because it gets done in about 2 to 3 hours time.....I use waterless products so it speeds up my time....
 
Invigor said:
2" polishers come in quite handy as well...8" pads don't fit well to a lot of the contours found on bikes :P
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Howdy Invigor,



Where can I find a 2" polisher? I am just starting in the detail biz..so I need all the help I can get.



:thx



PaPaGrizz
 
I was charging $75 for a standard and about $125 for a chromed out bike. It also depends on if the chrome needs a lot of polishing or just a cleaning.
 
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